Renee Zarate's Bolton House is still in New England but Renee herself has moved on to South Carolina. The days are a little different now, no garden to take care of means more studio time. Dealing with snow and blizzards will be a thing of the past but there will be new challenges. Challenges like...how will we ever carry these two chairs and this huge umbrella down to the beach? Stay tuned.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Busy Week

Wow, this has been the busiest week I have had in ages. I apologize for going AWOL but I have had visitors this week. My two grandsons (and their keepers) have been here since last Saturday. I had classes the day they arrived with Seth Apter at Ink About It in Westford, MA, so Grandpa had to entertain everyone until I got home at night. Here is a taste of what we learned with the incredible Seth about book making.

Then, of course, once the grand kids got a look at Nene's studio the art bug bit them! We have been in the craft room every day for hours. We've made pirate golden embossed, jewel studded keys and canvas paintings. Cards, gelli plate papers, stenciling, books to stick the keys in......the list goes on. Very fun. Very messy!

Six year old, almost seven, Caden was focused on his canvas work which took 3 days to complete with drying time. By Thursday it was time to get together with some other kids, other than grandma. My friends here were more than happy to oblige. There is this really cool place in a town nearby where the kids can do some crafting and we don't have to clean up the mess.

Three year old, almost four, Cole preferred doing his art in this amazing craft shop where an elderly (I might add a tad cranky) man makes wooden toys that the kids put together and paint. They don't get to start on ANYTHING until the smocks go on. He was hilarious, the kids didn't mind his crabbiness at all. They can only have one drop of paint at a time but he has no problem arming them with hammers and screwdrivers!

First the kids were all over the large workroom (I have lots of friends with small kids) then they suddenly all went to the same table to paint their wooden treasures.

By the end of the day Cole had a pirate ship and Caden had made a treasure box to keep his golden keys in, with a snake. Being the good grandma that I am, not to mention that hours of crafting had left me too tired to make dinner, I drove the boys through McDonald's for a "nutritious" dinner. I asked them what kind of Happy Meal they wanted and Caden said he had never had one so he didn't know.........oops, my bad. So, we had a lovely hamburger dinner with MILK, that way it wasn't totally bad, a nice swim in the big Jacuzzi tub in the master bath, clean PJs and a story. Then this grandma collapsed and went to bed. The other adults in the house can do the rest!
We did manage to get the garden all cleaned up on the one absolutely, sunny, beautiful day we had this week. All in all it has been a really fun week. I have forgotten what it is like to have little ones in the house. It has been a good reminder. Tomorrow I'll be teaching two classes at Ink About It, Sunday night we're having a big Turkey dinner with our family and our extended family here (translation MORE kids in the house) and next week I should be back on schedule.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by, you know I appreciate your visits. I'll be posting a nice tutorial on the 14th, pop in if you have time, until then take care and have a wonderful weekend!

4 comments:

Geesh, Rene.. what a whirlwind week.. all good stuff, but exhausting with little kids in the house. It will take a week to recover. Seth's class looked fun. Hope you get some alone time in that sneak peak of your studio.

OMG !! Looks like you has a very busy but really wonderful week end with your grands and other ladies... What beautiful works from the kids too, and so lovely photos ! Especially the one of your Grandson with his canvas, it's adorable !!! Thank you for sharing with us. Coco x